The Guardians: An Urban Fantasy Romance by Elise Marion Read Free Book Online Page A

slayin’. That bit about the Naphil just …”
    Jack waved a hand in dismissal. “I get it. I miss her, too.”
    Micah’s jaw hardened and he avoided Jack’s gaze. He didn’t like to talk about his sister, and that always made moments like this difficult.
    “I’m headed out to Bourbon,” he continued, pulling on a clean shirt and choosing to change the subject. “Reniel said Addison Monroe works at Temptations.”
    Micah arched one blond eyebrow and smirked. “Are you tellin’ me that our only hope of winnin’ this fight is in the hands of a half-demon stripper?”
    Jack snorted. “We don’t know that she’s a stripper. She could be a bartender or a waitress.”
    “Twenty bucks says she’s a stripper,” Micah challenged.
    “Does that mean you’re coming? I wasn’t expecting you to want to tag along.”
    He shrugged. “The way I see it, Eligos and his ten are gonna know we’re onto a way to beat ’em. That means before long, the demon attacks are gonna start. You think I’m leavin’ my neg to face that alone?”
    Jack chuckled at that. The first time Micah had called him ‘my neg, ’ he’d almost eaten Jack’s fist for lunch. He’d then explained that ‘ neg ’ was a Cajun term for ‘friend.’ Jack had grown used to it, and all of Micah’s other colorful phrases.
    “You just want to come because there will be naked girls.”
    “For true, podna ,” Micah confirmed with a nod. “For true.”
     
    ***
     
    Half an hour later, they stood in the entryway of Temptations. Through the pounding of the music’s heavy bass, the low hum of voices filled the room. On the t-shaped stage jutting out from the back wall, four poles stood, occupied by dancers. All around the room, waitresses in barely-there shorts and tank tops served overpriced drinks, while more of the same worked behind the long, gleaming bar. Red velvet curtains separated the main room from those where private dances took place.
    “Did Ren give you a description?” Micah bellowed in his ear as they made their way toward the bar.
    “No!” Jack shouted back. “But he did say she’d be here tonight.”
    Micah’s broad shoulders, paired with his stony features, were always good for clearing a path in a crowd, tonight being no exception. A gap opened up at the bar as they approached and Micah slid into it, glaring at the guy nearest him until he moved, making room for Jack. Sitting at one of the barstools, Jack waved down the nearest bartender.
    The girl had cinnamon-hued skin and tacky, blonde extensions running down her back, her breasts spilling out of the tank top she’d shredded to reveal as much skin as possible.
    “Hey, honey, what can I get you?”
    “Rum and Coke,” he answered. “And you can point me in the direction of Addison Monroe?”
    The bartender frowned. “Addison?”
    One of the other bargirls came up behind her, toting a tray full of dirty mugs. “You know Addie. The one they call Red.”
    The blonde bartender nodded. “Oh, yeah, Red. She’s backstage, but she’ll be performing soon, I’m sure. She’s one of our more popular dancers. You got a thing for redheads?”
    Jack shrugged, dismissing her question, and the girl went about making his drink. Micah’s gaze burned into the back of his head, yet, he refused to turn around and acknowledge him. But the big Cajun wouldn’t let it go without rubbing it in. His heavy hand clapped down on Jack’s shoulder as he guffawed.
    “Pay up, podna . I was right. Demon stripper.”
    “Naphil stripper,” he grumbled, reaching into his wallet. He paid for his drink and handed a twenty to Micah, who used it to pay for a beer and a Jager bomb. “According to the bartender, she’s also a redhead.”
    Micah shook his head. “I dated a redhead once. Gal had a temper like you wouldn’t believe. Best lovin’ I ever had, though, for true. Though I reckon you wouldn’t know it for lookin’ at me afterward. All them scratches ’cross my back, you’d think I’d